Thoughts from the interface of science, religion, law and culture

After spending several years touring the country as a stand up comedian, Ed Brayton tired of explaining his jokes to small groups of dazed illiterates and turned to writing as the most common outlet for the voices in his head. He has appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show and the Thom Hartmann Show, and is almost certain that he is the only person ever to make fun of Chuck Norris on C-SPAN.

EVENTS

Saudi Arabia Clueless About Human Rights

This may go down in the all-time annals of chutzpah. The Saudi Arabian government is complaining that the government of Norway isn’t doing enough to protect the human rights of Muslims. You know, like the “human right” to never hear anyone criticize their religion.

Saudi Arabia has criticised Norway’s human rights record, accusing the country of failing to protect its Muslim citizens and not doing enough to counter criticism of the prophet Mohammed.

The gulf state called for all criticism of religion and of prophet Mohammed to be made illegal in Norway. It also expressed concern at “increasing cases of domestic violence, rape crimes and inequality in riches” and noted a continuation of hate crimes against Muslims in the country.

Russia meanwhile called for Norway to clamp down on expressions of religious intolerance and and criticised the country’s child welfare system. They also recommended that Norway improve its correctional facilities for those applying for asylum status.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende was in Geneva to hear the concerns from 91 other countries. He told Norway’s NTB newswire prior to the hearing: “It is a paradox that countries which do not support fundamental human rights have influence on the council, but that is the United Nations,” reported The Local.

What’s that about? I’m seriously curious as to why the subject would even come up. Is there some Norwegian-Russian custody battle I missed? Are Russian families appyling for asylum in Norway in large numbers because their support system works, and Russia wants the emigration flow stopped?

I think the Norwegian Foreign Minister was waaaaay to diplomatic in his reply. “Fucking barbaric hypocrites” would have been a nice phrase to throw in there somewhere. Damn Scandinavian niceness! Odd to think these are the descendants of Vikings. How’d they get to be so frackin’ cordial and humane?

Well, they’re not always so polite..
—————-Context: a lot of bands in these genres (folk metal and viking metal) get accused of being Nazis, due to using symbols/symbology co-opted by the Nazis. Understandably, they are not fond of that..

Are you kidding me? This is the same country that doesn’t allow it’s own citizens to demonstrate!

From Ophelia Benson’s April 30th blog about Saudi writer and activist, Raif Badawi, jailed lasted year and sentenced to 7 years in prison, plus SIX HUNDRED LASHES! Followed by them then arresting his lawyer!

According to this guy :’
“The GINI index is a measure of income inequality. A higher GINI index implies more income inequality. The USA has a GINI index of 0.38 and the UK 0.34. Saudi has a GINI index of 0.32, Qatar 0.39 and the UAE 0.31.”
But I can’t find what his sources for this information is.

The OECD seems to think:
“Denmark, for example, has an equivalised household disposable income Gini coefficient of 0.25 (OECD 2012a). ”